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Development and comparison of two high accuracy methods for uranium concentration in nuclear fuel: ID-TIMS and K-edge densitometry

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Abstract

This study compares the two analytical methods for uranium concentration determination with high accuracy in uranium pellet: K-edge densitometer (KED) and the isotope dilution with thermal ionisation mass spectrometry measurements (ID-TIMS). Both techniques are compared in terms of time, generated radioactive effluent, simplicity, uncertainty estimation and detection limit. ID-TIMS shows lower detection limit and uncertainties than KED. However, the KED analysis time is shorter and generates less effluent. Both techniques were used for metrological analysis of uranium concentration in nuclear materials. The optimization of sample spike mixture isotope ratio for ID-TIMS to decrease uncertainties is also discussed.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr. S. Baghdadi (IRSN/PSN-EXP/SSRD/BTE) for her precious advice on the present paper. We would like to thank all of the IAEA staff (Seibersdorf-Austria) who organized the interlaboratory comparison and all the KED staff for the KED measurements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CEA, DEN, DMRC, SA2I, L2AT, BP 17171, 30207, Bagnols sur Cèze, France

    Alexandre Quemet, Eric Esbelin, Vincent Dalier & Cédric Rivier

  2. Onsite Laboratory Team, Nuclear Material Laboratory, Office of Safeguards Analytical Services, Department of Safeguards, International Atomic Energy Agency, Tokyo Regional Office, Seibunkan Bldg, 9F, 1-5-9 Iidabashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 102-0072, Japan

    Alexandre Ruas

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  1. Alexandre Quemet
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  4. Vincent Dalier
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Correspondence to Alexandre Quemet.

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Quemet, A., Ruas, A., Esbelin, E. et al. Development and comparison of two high accuracy methods for uranium concentration in nuclear fuel: ID-TIMS and K-edge densitometry. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 321, 997–1004 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-019-06670-y

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